Better Off Without You

I couldn't believe it. Elle had won the case in literally 5 minutes, with hair care, of all things. I had to admit, she was an amazing lawyer. This case case would've been disastrous had Elle left for California like she'd planned to. We would've had a horrible, embarrassing defeat instead of a triumphant victory. I was more than ready to celebrate after months of stress - I normally wasn't a party person, but the party at Paulette's place sounded pretty good. The courtroom was clearing out. I was walking towards the entrance when I heard Warner:

"You are the girl for me. I love you." I froze and peeked through the door. Warner was smiling charmingly at Elle. I'd have to be stupid not to notice the love triangle between Warner, Elle, and I, but it still hurt.

"Oh, Warner, I"ve waited so long to hear you say that," Elle replied. I bet she had. And despite my best efforts, I wasn't angry at Elle anymore. In fact, thinking back on it, I wasn't sure if it was really Elle I was angry at in the first place.

FLASHBACK

Warner and I had just arrived at Whitney's party. "Just think of it," I told Warner, "Future presidents may be in this very room. I'm going to track down Robert Coleman and convince him he must join our study group. Apparently his summer house is three houses down from Justice Souter."

"Great. I'm gonna go get a beer," Warner replied. I felt a stab of irritation as he walked away. He was just going to sit and drink while I did all his networking for him? I shrugged it off and then went to find Robert Coleman. Later I saw Elle in her ridiculously revealing Playboy Bunny outfit, and was briefly cheered by my victory - until I saw Warner, my fiance, openly ogling Elle. I clenched my fists in frustration. Would I really have to dress like a slut in order to command any of Warner's attention?

END FLASHBACK

NEW FLASHBACK

I was ecstatic when I saw both my name and Warner's on Callahan's list. All my hard work was finally paying off. I took another look at the list. There was me, and Warner, and that activist Enid Hoops...so that left one spot for -

"ME!" I turned - and then had to check that I wasn't hallucinating. Elle Woods? I never, in a million years, thought Elle would work hard enough to achieve this. I turned away. Warner had I had received the internship, and that was the most important thing.

"Oh, and Warner?" We turned back. Elle beamed at us. "Remember after the Winter Formal when we spent those four amazing hours in the hot tub together?"

"Ye-no." Warner muttered. I glared at him. Elle looked at us and squealed,

"This is so much better than that! Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some shopping to do." Elle sauntered off, leaving both of us standing there gobsmacked. I looked at Warner.

"Four hours?" He looked away and didn't answer. Later that day he brought up Elle again:

"I can't believe Elle actually got Callahan's internship. She must've slept with him. No way is she smart enough to achieve it on her own." I was tempted to remind him - however much I agreed - that he wouldn't have made the grades for the internship, either, had I not been tutoring him day and night along with keeping up with my own studies. However, I didn't want to sound like I was defending Elle, so I said nothing.

END FLASHBACK

NEXT FLASHBACK

"He's gay! Enrique is gay!" I looked up from my notes to see Elle, for once not wearing pink, with a grin on her face that I found much too optimistic, considering the circumstances. We all stared at her.

"What are you talking about?" Callahan asked.

"Watch this." Elle proceeded to do some kind of weird move where she bent over, and then swung back up, thrusting her chest out. I wasn't sure whether to laugh or be disgusted. She looked at us. "Did you see it?"

"See what?" Callahan demanded.

"No, maybe you should do it one more time." I looked at Warner in disbelief, I didn't have time to confront him about it, but later when we were alone I snarled,

"Would it kill you to show some restraint?!" He gave me his most charming smile, the one I could never resist. I did my best to ignore it.

"Vivian, sweetheart. You're overreacting. I didn't mean anything by it." Then he kissed me, and I kissed him back, but I had to wonder: Was it really unreasonable to ask my fiance not to look at other women?

END FLASHBACK

I was still watching Elle and Warner. It hurt, yes - but not as much as I thought it would. I realized that Warner is actually a disrespectful jerk. So when Elle finished snarkily, "But if I'm going to be a partner in a law firm by the time I'm thirty, I need a boyfriend that's not such a complete bonehead!", I laughed out loud.

Once Elle had left the room, I spoke up. "Hello, Warner." He turned, looking like a deer in the headlights.

"Vivian, sweetheart - " he started. I held up my hand.

"Don't "sweetheart" me, Warner. I'm sick of you using and disrespecting me." I pulled his ring off my finger and dropped in in his hand. "You're a jerk, and we're done." I turned to walk away. He tried to stop me, wrapping his arms around me.

"Don't leave," he pleaded, "Don't you love me?" I looked into his eyes.

"Yes," I answered, "But I think I'll be better off without you." I freed myself of his embrace and didn't look back. Once I'd left the courthouse, I went to find Elle to congratulate her on her victory.